Super Fly + Super Charged Written by Sallie W. Boyles
What could dave Rauschkolb, the oWneR of noRthWest floRida’s bud & alley’s RestauRant, and elon Musk, the ceo of spaceX, a califoRnia MakeR of space Rockets, have in coMMon?
C
reating a dining experience that becomes a family tradition and designing spaceships that transport families to Mars are certainly eons apart in terms of career paths, but Rauschkolb and Musk are driven by at least one shared vision: to shift the world’s reliance on cars that run on fossil fuels to a global demand for electric vehicles (EVs). In light of that vision, Rauschkolb and Musk also have vested interests (albeit at vastly different levels) in the success of Tesla Motors. The California-based car manufacturer, established in 2003, began turning heads with its award-winning, all-electric Roadster (a sporty two-seater) in 2008 and continues with the rollout of the Model S—an American-made, first-in-its-class, full-sized, fully electric, luxury “family” sedan. “Our effort has been the only EV built from the ground up to be electric,” says Tesla spokeswoman Shanna Hendriks. “We’ve created an amazing experience, and we’re working hard and succeeding at motivating the market to move toward a sustainable solution.”
46 | JA N UA RY/ FEB R UA RY 2013
Technology Forges AheAd “When I heard about Tesla’s four-door sedan that would go up to three hundred miles on a single charge, I wanted to be first in line,” says Rauschkolb, also a proud early adopter of the all-electric Nissan LEAF. “I was one of the first to order the LEAF and waited patiently, about two years, for my car.” Rauschkolb’s attraction to electric reflects his environmental stance (continue reading to learn how he has made a splash with a grassroots antidrilling campaign), and he’s downright thrilled to keep money in his pocket that would otherwise pay for fuel. “By not buying gas, I’m saving $3,000 per